Tour Code: 458-288

10-Day Yellowstone, Las Vegas, Los Angeles Tour from San Francisco

Visit the California State Capital - Sacramento. Founded in 1849, Sacramento was at the heart of the gold rush, Pony Express and first continental railroad. In the afternoon head through the famous Donner Pass and enter Nevada - nicknamed the Silver State. Overnight stay in Elko.

Pass through Twin Falls - Idaho, as views of the Snake River gorge highlight this area. Continue to the state of Wyoming and visit the western town of Jackson Hole. Arches made of elk antlers decorate the central plaza in this town with plenty of shops and restaurants around the area. In the afternoon visit Grand Teton National Park. The tallest peak rises to 13,770 feet. Twelve of the peaks in Teton reach above 12,000 feet and support a dozen mountain glaciers. Overnight stay in West Yellowstone.

Visit Yellowstone National Park, the first and oldest National Park in the United States. Highlights include: Yellowstone Canyon, Mud Volcano, Mammoth Springs, Hot Springs, and the most famous being "Old Faithful". There are also various wildlife that inhabit the Park from bison, elk, and bear. Overnight stay in Pocatello.

Arrive in Utah's state capital - Salt Lake City. Visit the famous Temple Square and learn about the Mormon settlement in depth. Later in the Afternoon, head to the famous Kennecott copper mine. The mine covers an area of about 1,900 acres and is twice as deep as the world tallest building. Then, explore Bryce Canyon National Park. The limited archeological findings indicate that this area was used primarily for hunting with most habitation in the river valleys below. Over time, erosion has carved colorful limestone into thousands of spires, fins, arches and mazes. The formations collectively called "hoodoos," and are arranged and tinted with various colors. Overnight stay in Panguitch.

Today visit Zion National Park. The name Zion is a Hebrew word meaning a place of refuge. Experience the dramatic landscape of sculptured canyons and soaring cliffs. Overnight stay in Las Vegas.

Today we will make our way to the Grand Canyon, one of the most spectacular examples of water’s erosive power. Carved by the Colorado River beginning as much 17 million years ago (according to recent studies), this stunning natural wonder is 277 miles long, 18 miles wide, and more than a mile deep. The Grand Canyon National Park is a designated World Heritage Site and is incomparable with its vistas of sheer drops and cliffs marked with different geological strata dating back billions of years. We’ll spend the day along the South Rim of the Canyon, stopping at various viewpoints along the way and admiring this glorious work of art that could only have been sculpted by nature and time. Then return for an overnight stay at our hotel in Las Vegas.

On this day, we’ll make our return sunny Los Angeles on the southern coast of California. In the famous entertainment city, we’ll stop by the Hollywood landmarks, take a walk along Hollywood Boulevard, and visit the Chinese Theater and the Kodak Theater complex, now the permanent home for the Oscars. After dinner, we’ll transfer to our hotel in the city for a night’s rest.

Experience a day of entertainment and the magic of filmmaking at the world-famous Universal Studios* in California. The studio-themed park has attractions that include behind-the-scenes tours of movie sets, as well as rides based off your favorite films, such as the Shrek 4D Simulator Ride, or the heart-pounding Jurassic Park River Adventure. And with various shows and performances throughout the day featuring scenes and reenactments from blockbuster movies, you can expect a whole day’s worth of non-stop excitement! We’ll take a much needed night’s rest back in our hotel in Los Angeles.

Today we’ll spend the day in the magical world of Disneyland*, brainchild of creator Walt Disney. Suitable for all ages, from children to the young at heart, Disneyland has a little something for everyone. Not only will you meet some of the most memorable characters from Disney films, including the one and only Mickey Mouse, but you’ll also experience the brilliance of Walt Disney’s imagination through the countless rides and shows that will give memories to last a lifetime. At night you’ll see fireworks over Magic Kingdom’s Castle and other special treats found nowhere else in the world. When the park closes, we’ll head back to our hotel in Los Angeles for another night.

San Diego City Tour* (Optional - Adults $68; Child $58) (Starting after 4/1/2011)

At 9:00am we will depart from the hotel and drive south along the Pacific Ocean heading to San Diego, the second largest city in California. We’ll first stop by the U.S. Naval compound in San Diego harbor, where docked at the Navy Pier is the USS Midway, the longest-serving aircraft carrier in U.S. Naval history, with a storied career that lasted from 1945 to 1997. After lunch, our tour goes to Coronado Island and visits the Hotel del Coronado, a National Landmark that was built in the glorious wooden Victorian style in the 1800s. Up next is Balboa Park, where we’ll enjoy the luscious botanical gardens and Spanish architecture lining the long promenades, and then we’ll move on to Old Town San Diego to walk among the classic Mexican Pueblos and browse the shops offering unique Latin American souvenirs and craftwork. In the evening we’ll return to Los Angeles to catch the sunset. We’ll return to our hotel by 7:30 pm.

*Optional activity; fee not included in tour price. See “Exclusions” for cost details.

In the morning, we’ll visit the relaxing Danish immigrant town of Solvang. The word Solvang in Danish can be translated as "sunny countryside", which in fact is true for almost the entire year. While in Solvang, enjoy famous Danish pastries, cookies, and chocolates; wander the streets and charming wooden, cottage-style architecture that brings thousands of tourists (including royalty!) to visit each year. After lunch, we’ll return north back to the Bay Area, arriving in the evening to conclude our journey.